To introduce myself, I will begin by saying that teaching math at Northeast State has not been my career, but my reward. I’m Camille Daffron, and I have been an adjunct faculty member at the College for 21 years. I was raised in a home where education was valued. My father planned that his daughters would all attend college and major in math, because “you can always get a job teaching math.” My plan was to marry, have a big family, and live in the country in an old farmhouse. Perhaps, I am an overachiever.
After I married, as all good mathematicians do, I multiplied. I spent a lot of time raising eight children and teaching them, among other things, that education opens a future for them. We are very proud that all of them have completed degrees, some multiple degrees, and are contributing to society as engineers, teachers, innovators in business and money management, and working in healthcare.
Of course, everyone returns to the “home place” for Christmas – imagine, if you can, eight adult children (all but one from out-of-town), their spouses, and their children (ranging in age from college grads to newborns) all staying with you and your spouse in a house with no central heat, one shower, and a kitchen so small that passing is a challenge. Several years ago, we splurged and bought two yard-barns, which are now bunkhouses, one for granddaughters and one for grandsons. Our Christmas dinner, which is always several days before Christmas, includes additional family, aunts, uncles, and cousins, for a total of over 50 people, and this year, we expect to add some grandchildren’s significant others. It has always been the test – you can’t marry anyone who can’t survive a “Daffron Christmas.” Fortunately, the marriages last, everyone gets along, and we have a year to recover before it happens again.
As for the old house, I have that, too. Many years ago, we purchased a house and seven acres that were part of a Revolutionary War grant. The house was originally a log cabin and has been added on to many times. It is listed on the Tennessee Register of Historic Homes as the Latture Place, although it has been suggested that “Hysteric” might be a more appropriate designation, as it is the subject of many challenges and stories.
The Latture family named their farm Holly Brook, so about 30 years ago, when I opened a boarding kennel, we used the name Hollybrook Farms Kennel. As a stay-at-home mom, this was the perfect business. Once my husband retired, and I was able to come to work at Northeast State, he took over running the business.
I came to Northeast through the back door. My math degree was certainly not new, and my teaching certification for high school was long expired. I was always interested in using my education, especially in helping students who were struggling in math, so I spent years tutoring high school students. One of my children delayed completing her education and found her passion at Northeast State in the Surgical Technology Program. She told me they needed teachers in the Math Department and suggested I apply. I did apply, and to my surprise, I was offered a position as an adjunct faculty member teaching students who were not proficient in math. All my years of tutoring prepared me, and now for over 20 years, this position has been one of my greatest pleasures.
I have always believed that while everybody may not enjoy math, it’s a subject that everyone needs and that everyone can learn what they need if it is approached in the right way. The biggest obstacle to learning is often fear (this I know from experience in dealing with computers). I love when a student “gets it.” Seeing them succeed and gain confidence is a very satisfying experience for me, especially when they admit they understand a concept and actually like math. I feel this is especially important because we teach so many “non-traditional” students, many of them with children who will be influenced by their parents’ attitudes toward math. I love getting feedback from the student evaluations, and I must admit I keep their comments in a file in hopes that someday my kids will find them and be impressed.
Adjunct teaching at Northeast State has been a wonderful part of my life. I love what I am doing, except for dealing with computers, which is a reflection of my age and not the people who manage our computers; they are always able to solve my problems. Everyone will be happy to know that I am currently enrolled in a basic computer course, and I am hoping to become somewhat proficient in dealing with my nemesis. I am very thankful to be working in the Math Department; everyone in the department is supportive. I can’t imagine a better group to work with or anything I would do to improve my work situation. Northeast State provides a very good work environment for adjuncts, too. I’ve encouraged several people to consider adjunct teaching at Northeast – it’s been a wonderful and fulfilling experience for me. I’ve also enjoyed getting to know some of our other adjunct instructors. They are a wonderfully diverse, interesting, and talented group of people.
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